Modern aircraft include three VHF data radios each of which is capable of receiving only a single channel at any time. Two of the radios are dedicated for voice communications and one radio is dedicated to a single channel for data communications. Many such aircraft do not have the capability to add an additional data radio and antenna(s) to support operation of a second data channel. This may arise due to cost, lack of space for the radio, the undesirability of having too many holes in the aircraft body (e.g. to mount additional antenna(s)), drag caused by the additional antenna(s), and interference by having proximate antennas. As a result, all VHF data traffic, such as messages from air traffic controllers and airline operations centers must be conveyed through the single VHF data channel. This is not always feasible or desirable. Therefore, there is a need to provide more robust data communications without increasing the number of radios and antennas on an aircraft.